The surface characteristics of a substrate play a significant role in the ability of the substrate to perform as desired. For example, in many instances, a substrate has the preferred characteristics, e.g. strength, malleability, permeability, thermal dynamic characteristics, etc., for a desired use, but the surface characteristics present operational difficulties under the conditions of use. For example, surface characteristics of a substrate such as biocompatibility, wettability, reactivity, adhesion, resistance, colloidal stability, etc., may present processability problems under the conditions of use. As such, a large field of interest has developed in the modification of surface characteristics of substrates.
A wide variety of processes have been developed in an effort to create and/or modify specific surface characteristics of both organic and inorganic materials. However, these processes tend to be very specific to both the substrate material and the specific surface modification. For example, laminating processes are often used for surface modification of textiles. Other processes, such as surface activation followed by graft polymerization, are known for a variety of specific polymeric substrates. Still other surface modification techniques utilize various methods including vapor deposition, plasma activation, sputtering, chemical etching, ion implantation, self-assembled monolayer deposition etc. The feasibility of the specific method employed often depends upon both the substrate material as well as the specific surface characteristics sought by the modification.
What is needed in the art is a method for modifying the surface of a substrate that can be used on a wide variety of substrate materials. In addition, what is needed in the art is a method for modifying surfaces that can be used to obtain a wide variety of modifications. For example, what is needed in the art is a surface modification process that can not only be utilized for both organic and inorganic substrates, but can also be an efficient method for fixing a wide variety of functional materials to the various substrates. For example, a method that can be utilized to attach biomolecules, such as proteins, low molecular weight substances or polymeric substances to practically any substrate would be very useful in the art.